Diane Willis
American journalist, documentalist, teacher and newscaster
About Diane Willis
Born 1948. Diane Willis is an American journalist, documentalist, educator and news presenter.
Diane Willis ( Bruhn) (born July 4, 1948) is an American journalist, documentarian, teacher, and newscaster.
Career as a broadcaster Willis graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Augustana College and later earned multiple master's degrees from both the University of Chicago and the University of Missouri. She spent six years teaching English and journalism before transitioning to a career in broadcast journalism.
Her first on-air position was at KTVI in St. Louis, Missouri during 1981–82, where she worked as a reporter and anchor. In 1983, she joined Boston's WNEV-TV as a reporter and was soon promoted to main female anchor, co-anchoring the 6:00 p.m. newscast with veteran journalist Tom Ellis. Although the newscast ranked third in local ratings, it received positive critical reviews during her tenure. She stepped down in 1986.
Following her departure from WNEV, Willis taught journalism at Northeastern University for several semesters, alongside her then-husband, Jim Willis. In January 1987, she joined WRTV in Indianapolis as co-anchor of the 6:00 and 11:00 p.m. newscasts with Clyde Lee. The pair became prominent figures in Indianapolis news broadcasting and remained with the station until 2001, when they both resigned and left television news.
After leaving WRTV, Willis and Lee co-founded Lee-Willis Communications, a consulting firm specializing in public relations, crisis communications, and media training for corporate executives.
Personal life Willis married Jim Willis in the early 1980s. In 1983, the couple adopted two sons, David and John. They later divorced. Willis later married Clyde Lee in 2000.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Diane Willis's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Diane Willis's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Diane Willis?
American journalist, documentalist, teacher and newscaster
When was Diane Willis born?
Diane Willis was born on 4 July 1948.
What is Diane Willis's occupation?
Diane Willis is a journalist, documentalist, educator and news presenter.
What nationality is Diane Willis?
Diane Willis is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Diane Willis. https://biography.guide/diane-willis/
MLA: "Diane Willis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/diane-willis/.
Chicago: "Diane Willis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/diane-willis/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:33 UTC